Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-12-16

games AS we grew older. however. and
more serious. and our emotions deeper.
music gained a strong hold upon us. Not
only did we hear the compositions of the
great masters performed at concerts but
we played arrangements of them as duets
on the piano. Thus we grew more and
more familiar with them, until we knew
them note by note. When we could
play them technically correctly we tried
to penetrate into their deeper meaning.
1t was then | began to discover the poetry
of Alice IS nature. Beauties which would
have remained hidden from me she dis
covered, and for the Interpretation Of
every composition she had numerous
poetic suggestions. And SO we often
reveled in a wealth of beautiful sound.
Yet we We're quite unconscious of the
bond of sympathy which united us until
there came a time when we thought we
should he obliged to part-for the first
time since early childhood. Alice's pa
rents had decided to take her to Europe
for year or two. in order that foreign
travel might complete her education.
remember, as if it were but Yesterday.
the afternoon when she told me of our
approaching separation. She spoke of it
with mounful tenderness. l could say
nothing. But | had a language better
than speech in which to express the emo
tons which welled up as she spoke.
There is an impromptu by Schubert,
which has been APPLY entitled the 'Elegy.'
1t is moulnful melody, floating over a
softly flowing accompaniment, like the
voice of a lonely spirit over the water.
Gently | drew Alice to the piano, and
seating myself at the instrument, intoned
the 'Elegy. Swayed by feeling which
could not define, l played with the
deepest expression of which l was capa-
bic. As the last notes died away hot
tears fell upon my hands. l looked up
into Alice's face, She was weeping.
Flushed with the heat of sudden passion,
clasped her to my heart and kissed her.
a moment later a thrill of Joy passed
through me as her lips touched my brow.
Releasing her. l knelt before her. She
laid her hands upon my head as though
in blessing. Not a word had been
spoken. but our stories had been told
we loved one another.
"Alice did not 90 to Europe. Our
parents were not opposed to our union.
Indeed, they had expected such an event.
though not so soon. Still. they had 50
fanniliarized themselves with the idea,
that. when our love for one another was
made known to Alice's parents. the trip
to Europe was abandoned. We were
not, however, to marry until the lapse
of two years. when | would be % and
she 20. Fortunately my parents We're
well off. and it was not necessary for me
to earn my own living before | could
marry Alice. All the same, was ambi-
tious enough to work hard at the studies
which were to fit me for the legal pro-
fession. a course in which she encouraged
me. Need l tell how happily those two
years passed: OF our loving exchange
of confidence: OF the trust we reposed
in one another: The sweetness and beau
ty of Alice's character became more and
more apparent to me: and when, two
years after our engagement, we We're
united in marriage. it seemed to me as if
the climax Of happiness had been reached.
AS | stood at the altar to receive her.
and she came up the aisle clad in white.
her face calm Yet radiant. l could not
but feel that | was receiving an angel
into my life. Nor was | mistaken. But
had been mistaken when had thought
that the climax of happiness had been
reached ON our wedding day; for every
day Of our married life brought new
happiness. Alice's face often wore that
calm yet radiant expression it had worn
on our wedding day. Her lips often
seemed to me about to part in smile. of
happiness. When her face wore that
expression of quiet rapture it was lowell
est to behold. see it rising before me
now. l put out my hapds to touch it!
1t has vanished. All! it was but the
vision of a spirit! For, alas! Alice
is no more. Three years of ever in
creasing happiness, and then came a
tragedy all the more terrible for the
bliss which had preceded it. All, bitter
memory of the hours of agony l passed
at her bedside. Alas! will time never
assuage the despair, the agony, of that
hour when they told me her eyes had
closed in death: l charged them with
lying to me; for, as looked upon her
face as she lay there so still, her lips, as
so often before. seemed to me about to
part in smile of happiness. Is it
wonder that, when they came to bear her
away to the tomb, l stood like a wild
beast at bay before her coffin and dared
them to approach? Seized, overpowered
by superior numbers. it was only when
they threatened to force me to remain
guarded in that room that / desisted in
order that might be allowed to follow
her remains to the tomb, and there be
suffered TO gaze upon her features.
Fools, to think her dead! l knew better
than they. Would her lips still seem
about to part in smile of happiness if
she We're dead and lost to me? felt that
when, at the moment which others would
think to be the moment of my final part
ing from her in the tomb, l called her by
name, she would awaken from her trance
and clasp me to her bosom and return
with me once more into the air and sun
shine. AT last that moment came. The
dreary cortege had reached the tomb, the
heavy portal had been thrown back, and
they had borne the coffin into the sepul-
cher, and placed it upon the catafalque.
| stepped forward to take what the FOOLS